1. Field of the Invention
One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to camera covers, and more specifically, to universal and disposable sterile replacement camera covers that may be used in sterile environments such as an operating room that is also pliable.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional, rigid, universal and disposable sterile replacement camera covers that may be used in sterile environments such as an operating room are well known and have been in use for a number of years, a non-limiting example of which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,052,339 to Noel Gharibian, the entire disclosures of which is expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
Regrettably, universal camera cover types disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,052,339 are rigid, weigh more, and due to their rigidity, cannot be collapsed into a compact form for a smaller and therefore, more efficient packaging. Small packaging with lighter weight is important to lower costs for delivery and also, for a more efficient storage (where there is limited storage space in a surgical room).
Further, known soft camera covers are all uniquely and specifically manufactured for replacement of a specifically corresponding Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) camera cover. In other words, use of a known soft cover to replace a specific camera cover for which the known soft cover was not intended would create issues with respect to the known cover being too short or too long for the camera, have tight or loose fit, or lens viewing area of the soft cover may not align properly with viewing axis of the camera lens, etc.
Regrettably, the manner of mounting known soft covers onto a camera vary widely and are end-user dependent (even for the same exact cover). For example, a user may incorrectly mount and finally position a known soft cover onto a camera without knowing that the soft cover is improperly mounted. A disadvantage would be that at best, the distance between the viewing area of known soft covers and that of camera lens would vary widely, which would provide inconsistent focusing quality of camera (assuming the cover viewing area and camera lens are still aligned). At worst, the soft cover may simply slip off of the camera during surgery due to improper mounting.
Additionally, given that known soft covers are all uniquely and specifically manufactured for replacement of a specifically corresponding OEM camera cover, their method of use and application is also varied and different for each OEM camera type, make, and model. A disadvantage of having a variety of proprietary soft covers is that an end-user must always be cognizant of correct use and application for the specific type of soft cover used for proper mounting. Further, most known soft covers are comprised of multiple pieces, making them too complicated and costly to manufacture, especially for a disposable item.
Accordingly, in light of the current state of the relevant art and the drawbacks to current soft camera covers, a need exists for a soft, pliable, sterile replacement camera cover that is disposable, universal and sterile and may be properly used with different types of cameras.